Tread for stairs and other purposes.



, l. H. GAR/IEEE, F. E. PORTER & G. H. DES'ROCHERS.` TREAD Fon STAIRS AND OTHER PuRPosl-:s.-

VAPPLICATION.FILED SEPTLIS. 19|6.

mem@ Apr. 23, 1918.

Nimm all).

JAMES HARVEY GAMBLE, FREDERICK EWING PORTER, AND GEORGE DESROCHERS, 0F LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO 'AMERICAN MASON SAFETY TREAD A -.COMPANY, 0F LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

riannn non STAIRS Ann or'HEE ruarosES.

Specication of Letters lPatent.

Patented Apr. 23, limi..

Application led September 15, 1916. Serial No. 120,411.

and other purposes, in which a non-slipping filler is reinforced and bound securely to a metal base, frame or plate, so thatthe tread as a whole may be manufactured by a simple and economical process, can be handled and shipped without disintegrating and will be strong and durable in use.

With such objects in view, as well as other advantages which may be' incident to-.the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportions and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the 1nvention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying thesame intopractical eEect, without limiting the improvements, in their useful applications, to -the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made' the subject of illustration. lin-the said drawings z- .Q e

Figurel is a plan view of a portion of a stair tread embodying the invention, partly broken away to show the sub-structure.

Fig. 2 isa bottom view of the same, partly broken away to show the super-Structure.

' Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line lllll-i-llllf OflFlg. 1. l .Y j

Fig. 4 is a` sectional view on line 4lFV---TV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a modification. v A

Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a vertical section and a plan view illustrating another modification.

Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective Aviews illustrating further modifications.

Referring to the drawings, l indicates a perspective view illustrating ar' plate'of suitable material Such as strong, stili" and sulhciently malleable sheet steel, which can be cut and bent as shown and will maintain its shape' and be durable .in use.

This plate is perforated with openings 2 of diamond or other shape, and the metal around said openings is struck or curled up as shown at 3, so that unperforated parts or strands 4 of the plate present concave surfaces upward.

5 indicates a. ller loaded with grit, such as carborundum or other material suitable for non-slipping purposes, the grit being rst mixed with a suitable binder to form a paste which can be molded to and with the underside of the plate 1 as shown, and which will harden into a rigid and durable consistency.

Before the lfiller is applied the plate is provided with 'substantially integral holding elements, anchors or loops which permeate theotherwise continuous body of the filler and keep the latter from being broken up or loosened or separated from the plate, either during handling or shipment or in use. 1

Such hold-ingelements or anchors preferably. consist in the strands of a sheet of expanded metal or-lathing 6 of relatively small gage, such sheet being of approximately the same size as the plate l. Certain of the strands of the expanded metalare suitably attached to the plate 1. 'Preferably they are, atv their points of juncture, spot welded at 7 to the under Sides of the Strands 4, `so that the sheet of expanded metal is then integral with the tread plate 1.I Between their points 7 ofspot welding and attachment the strands of the expanded metal extend across under the plate openings 2 but at a little distance below Athe same. Between 4the expanded metal andthe struck up parts 3 of the tread plate are left spaces 8 (Figs. 3^ and 4), and

these Spaces 8, as well as the space below the expanded metal, are occupied b the continuous and integral body of the ler 5, the up-I per and lower portions of the same being united in one piece through the openings between the strands of the metal 6. :The filler as a solidplate is thus permeated throughout by the integralholding elements.

' Struck down from the 1plate l are marginal side-"and end Hanges 9, which conne and protect the Aller. S

' vthe channel ofsaid loop being integral with the plate.

,lower The filler 5 extends into the perforations 2 and fully to the topmost parts of the strands 4, so--that the sole of the shoe ,will take hold on the grit when the tread is stepped on. v

In Figs. 5 to 8 are illustrated holdin elements or anchors which are integral wit the plate 1 but are struck or bent down therefrom at intervals, so as to permeate and hold the molded body of the filler 5. As shown in Fig. 5 the holding elements are in the form of a loop 10 which is struck down from portion 4 of the plate, both ends In Figs'. 6 and 7 the holding element is in the form of a loo 11 which is struck down froml the edges o the opening 2, both ends of such loop being integral with the edges 3 which bound the openin In Fig. 8 the holding element is in the orm of an arm 12 struck down from the channel portion 4, one end only of said arm being integral with the plate 1. All of theseholding elements are f ormed at suitable intervals` on the plate 1.

In Fig. 9 the holding elements are formed by the said expanded metal 6, but in this last construction' the expanded -metal is secured at intervals to the under side of the plate 1 by clips 13 which are struck out from the portions of the plate and are bent under the strands of the expanded metal and then upward to securely, .clamp the latter. In this construction the expanded metal preferably sags down a little between its securing clips 13, so as to form spaces similar w to the spaces 8 in Figs. 3 and 4.

Wire mesh of suitable character may be used in place of the expanded metal.

As the top -metalsurface of the ordinary tread wears dowir it becomes more or lessY openings has become unsafe is not always immediately i replaced.

What isclaimed is:

Y l. A tread for stairs and the like comprising a sheet metal plate formed with interseating depressed channel members and with etween said channel members a grit-loadedfiller molded against the under side of said channel members and into said openings, and metallic strips secured to said channel members, passing across under said penings and embedded 1n the body of said ler.

2. A tread for stairs and the like comprising a thin sheet metal plate formed with intersecting depressed channel members and with openings between said channel members, a grit-loaded filler molded against the under sideof said channel members and into said openings, and metallic strips secured to said channel members to reinforce and strengthen the sheet metal, and extending down into and embedded in the body of said ller to anchor the metal thereto.

Signed at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts this 29th day of July A. D. 1916. v

J. HARVEY GAMBLE. FREDERICK EWING PORTER.

f GEORGE H. DESROCHERS.

Witnesses:

HARVEY E. SYMoNDs,

`Nmm I. BURNHAM. 

